System of extinguishing fires.



'I PATENTBD SBPT.29,1903

. T. M. SULLISON & F. P. CUBRIR.

SYSTEM 0F BXTINGUISHING FIRES.

D FEB. l0, 19

APPLICATION IILE 03.

OOOOOO L,

MWJWWWW@ Patented september 2e, 1903.

UNiTED STATES PATENT V@trice THOMAS M. COLLISON AD FREDERICK P. CURRIE, OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEV JERSEY.

SYSTEM OF vEXTNGUl5`lill\lG FlRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,238, dated September 29, 17903.

A `Application filed February l0, 1903. Serial No. 142.690. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom/Ait may concern:

Be it known that We, THOMAS M. COLLISON and FREDERICK P. CURRIE, citizens of the i United States, and residents of Atlantic City,

New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Systems'of Extinguishing Fires, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to certain improvementsin tire-extinguishing systems, and more particularly consists in an improved combination ot' apparatus for extinguishing tires in oil-tanks, the object of the invention being to provide asystem of the character described which While possessing the maximum etticiency foruse in extinguishing a tire in an oiltank shall not be subject to injury from lightning discharges. This object we attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to.

discharge the oil-supply pipe, as Well as any other metallic pipes connected to the tank, Was almost invariably destroyed or at least temporarily rendered inoperative by the sameagency. It is With the idea of providing'a device which shall be practically free from the possibility ofV such damage that We have devised the system illustrated and hereinafter described.

In the above drawings, A is an oil-tank of the ordinary construction, having in the present instance at the center of its bottom an opening a, to Which is connected, by means of suitable flan ges, a pipe a', extending nearly to the height of the tank and above the level of the liquid therein, so as to prevent passage of oil through said opening a. Within this pipe are a series of insulating-rin gs a2, through Whose central openings extends a pipe B, connected to any desired source of supply (indicated at C) for the generation of liquid ork gas capable of extinguishing res.

The tip-- per end of this pipe B is provided With any desired number of extended branches h,whose outer ends are supported by means of vertical bars or struts b, carried upon the bottom of the tank A, but insulated therefrom by insulating dishes or blocks b2. The free ends of the branch pipes h are turned down and each carries a small vertical shaft h3, upon which is supported a wheel h4, having vanes or blades and so placed that it extends under the downwardly-projecting end of the pipe h in a position to be rotated by fluid Howing therefrom.

Y Thepipe B has at a point near the-tank A a sect-ion D made of heavy stoneware, porcelain, or other-electrically non-conducting material, said pipe having suitable flanges d for attachment to said vsect-ion. In order that this section may not be injured by the expansion and contraction of the pipe B, We

provide an expansion joint or coupling E,

into which the said pipe extends. This joint consists, primarily, of a part e, screwed or otherwise attached to the pipe B and provided ,Witha stutng-box having a section e', into which'the end portion of the pipe B enters.

The insulating-section D and the expansion joint or coupling Evare both inclosed in a length of terra-cotta or stoneware conduit F, so that the earth in which the pipe B is laid is kept from contact -therewith in the immediate vicinity of the insulating-section. From yan inspection of this construction it will be seen that should lightning strike any part of -thetank Athere will be no low-resistance path for the discharge to pass to or from the pipe B, with consequent injury to the same, on account of the tact that said pipe is electricallyA insulated not only from the bottom of the tank 'by the insulating-blocks b2, but

also,` by means ofthe section D, from the greater part of the piping system and grounds adjacent thereto. Said pipe B is, moreover, further insulated from the metal of the tank by the rings a and is thereby protected from possible injury should the tank be struck by lightning. Upon the ignition of the oil in the tank carbonio-acid gas mixed with a certain proportion of liquid is forced from the generating apparatus C through the pipe B and the branch pipes h, so that it IOO strikes the inclined wheels b4 and causes them to rapidly rotate. Such action distributes or scatters the liquid or gas flowing from the pipe B over the entire surface of the burning oil, thus tending to quickly smother the flames and extinguish the lire.

We claim as our inventionl. The combination of a tank having an opening into it, a pipe extending from said opening to a point above the normal level of liquid in the tank, a source of supply for tiren extinguishing fluid and a pipe connecting said source with the tank, said pipe extending through the said rst pipe into the tank, with means for electrically insulating the second pipe from the tank, substantially as described.

2.v The combination of a tank, a source of supply for fire-extinguishing fluid, a pipe connecting the tankand the source ot'snpply, the same having a plurality of' branches provided with outlets placed to discharge into the tank, with means for supporting said branches, said means being. electrically insulated from the tank, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a tank, a source of supply for fire-extinguishing fluid, a pipe connecting the said source and the tank, an insulating-section in said pipe and an insulating-conduit surrounding the said section and the pipe in the immediate vicinity of the same, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a tank, a source of supply for ire-extinguishingiiuid and a pipe connecting the same with the tank, said pipe Y ,being electrically insulated from the tankand having a plurality of branches provided With outlets placed to discharge into the tank,

bars for supporting said branches and insulating material whereby said bars are kept from electrical contact with the tank,substan tially as described.

5. The combination ot' a tank, a source of supply for dre-extinguishing fluid, an o pening into the tank having a conduit extending supply for fire-extinguishing tiuid, an opening into the tank havinga conduit extending from it to a point above the level of fluid in the tank, a pipe connect-ing the source of supply with the tank, said pipe extending into said opening and through said conduit, with insulating material 'in the conduit for preventing electrical contact between the same and the pipe, and an outlet or outlets to said pipe placed to discharge into the tank, said outlets being provided with revoluble means for distributing fluid discharged therefrom Within the tank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS M. COLLISON.

. FREDERICK P. CURRIE.

l/Vitnesses: l

CLIFTousC. SHINN, WILBUR SHINN. 

